


Strategic Communication

by Tabithian



Series: Office Space [2]
Category: Batman (Comics), DCU, DCU (Comics)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-04
Updated: 2015-11-04
Packaged: 2018-04-30 02:05:26
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5146289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tabithian/pseuds/Tabithian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Jason doesn't know what he's just walked into – no, okay, that's a lie. He definitely knows what he's just walked into.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Strategic Communication

**Author's Note:**

> Possibly inspired by real life events because why not, really. /o\

Jason doesn't know what he's just walked into – no, okay, that's a lie. He definitely knows what he's just walked into.

“You're more of an asshole than I expected,” Jason says, dropping into the chair across from Tim.

(As if Jason doesn't have extensive personal experience in all the ways Tim can be a phenomenal asshole when he really puts his mind to it.)

“I mean, sure, Dick tried to warn me. Hell, _Bruce_ tried to warn me, and I probably should have realized if Bruce thinks someone's an asshole, there's got to be something there, you know?”

Tim pauses his rapid-fire typing and gives Jason a baleful look over the top of the computer monitor between them.

Jason grins, slow, as he leans back in his chair, kicking his feet up on the desk dangerously close to Tim's precious coffee.

There's a little curl of steam coming off it, so he can't have been at this for too long. (Unless the idiot snuck past Jason to get a refill, which. Possible.)

“I mean, I figured we're all assholes in our own little ways, right?” Jason asks. 

Some more than others, _Bruce_.

Tim's eyes narrow.

Jason spreads his hands and pitches his voice low, entreating. 

“Tim,” he says, and oh, God, keeping a straight face is killing him. “You're becoming what you hate most.”

A petty, horrible little bastard who leaves passive-aggressive notes for his co-workers.

The ones who haven't figured out how to refill the stapler, or put new paper in the printers. Who sign out the good equipment and put it away in their lockers or some little hidey hole when their shift ends so no one else can use them. The ones who can't be bothered to throw their trash away in the break room. The sick motherfuckers who leave partially eaten food or drinks all over the fucking place like goddamned animals. 

(Oh, yeah, Jason hates them too, but he's gotten the knack of glaring the jackasses into being semi-functional adults.)

Tim bares his teeth, pulling the keyboard closer to himself like he honestly thinks Jason's stupid enough to try to take it away from him.

“They're stashing equipment, Jason! How is that fair to the other employees?”

Jason pulls his feet off the desk – holding his breath when the toe of his shoe accidentally bumps Tim's coffee mug, contents threatening to spill over the edge.

“Jason.”

Jason drags his eyes away from Tim's coffee mug to see him looking at him the way Tim only does when it's a life or death matter. When Gotham or the damn world is at stake, and he's about to say something unbelievably stupid that's probably meant to be dramatically heroic but is really just a load of bullshit.

Tim leans forward, voice dropping into that Serious Business voice of his, and says – like Jason knew he would - 

_“This is the only way.”_

Christ.

“Tim,” Jason says. “You realize we're not going to be here much longer, right?”

A week at most, although Jason's starting to think the damn building's going to be a pile of smoking rubble before then if Tim doesn't take things down a notch. (And people think Jason's the dangerously unstable one, fucking _ha_. They've clearly never seen Tim when he's like this.)

According to the paperwork Barbara and Tim put together they're on loan to this branch for a couple of weeks, just long enough to do some poking around. See if this is little company is involved in some shit Bruce is looking into. 

(Jason's here to make sure Tim doesn't snap and fucking shank someone with a ballpoint pen after his last foray into the dark underbelly of corporate America's cubicle farms.)

God willing, or Jason's going to have to have a little chat with Bruce. Dick, too, the asshole. 

Dick has to be behind this somehow, Jason can feel it in his bones.

“Gladys - “

“Is a sweet little old lady three months from retirement, not a damn super villain bent on conquering the world through misappropriation of office supplies,” Jason says, trying for a reasonable tone of voice. “You need to let this go Tim. Seriously.”

That, or call Mabel in for backup.

Tim looks at Jason for a long moment, and then he sighs, like Jason just doesn't get it.

He does, though.

Assholes to the left of him, jackasses to the right, and then there's Tim.

Tiny, angry Tim witnessing all these careless injustices taking place and seething like a fucking weirdo.

What the hell, it's not like they're going to be around to deal with the eventual fallout anyway.

“For great justice?”

Tim snorts, some of the crazy leaving his eyes. (There's still plenty left to go around though.)

“Bruce will approve.”

Jason really kind of doubts that, but not like he's going to argue with Tim when he has that look on his face.


End file.
